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Eileen E. Reynolds, MD

JAMA. 2004;292:1358.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

In a Clinical Crossroads article published in November 2003, Bartolome R. Celli, MD, discussed a 62-year-old woman who had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for many years.¹ At the time of the conference, the patient, Mrs D, lived at home. She was symptomatic at rest on oxygen administered by nasal cannula and experienced frequent hospital admissions and stays in pulmonary rehabilitation hospitals, including 20 hospital admissions in the previous 5 years. Mrs D's medical regimen included numerous inhalers and oral medications directed at her COPD.

In his discussion, Dr Celli discussed the burgeoning epidemic of chronic obstructive lung disease in the United States, the protective effect of smoking cessation on the development of COPD, and the treatment of COPD with bronchodilators, corticosteroids, anti-inflammatory agents, and surgery. He also discussed the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation after acute exacerbation and the importance of advance directives.

DR K: THE PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN

Mrs D passed . . . [Full Text of this Article]